Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-07-19

and who served as general ehore-oos
about the place, had gone for the cows
and there was no one to answer the call on
which so much depended.
| A few minutes and it was too late, and
Mike was in a new dilemma.
Mike closed the KEY in despair. She
did not know the train signals, but seized
the red fisg under the old desk and ran for
dear l,fe-literally the desr lives of her
fellow creatures Not until she got to the
wrecked place did she remember that she
must 90 beyond the curve to stop them or
she would be of no use. Already she
heard the approaching train rumble IN the
! distance. Faster, faster she sped around
the curve straight on up the track. Sne
could see them now coming in. On they
rushed the great engine bent on destroying
/ its precious freight. Mike stepped I'D
the midst of the track and frantlcaiIy
swung her red flag. bu. still the monster
rushed toward her, showing no abatement
of speed.
Meanwhile the engineer and fireman
had seen the slight form of the girl, and
the fireman stood aghast to see the engi-
neer so utterly regardless of her.
stop, man, be shouted; don you
see the girl ?''
Yes said the half-drunk engineer.
why don't the little fool get out OF my
yay? I'll teach her, and made no move
ment to stop.
Mike waited with sinking heart-Oh,
WHY did everything go against her? Was
il the will OF God that this dreadful thing
must happen? The engine was close
upon her and she ran upon a jutting rock
by the railroad still waving her scarlet
fag-but just as the engine came along
side Of her she heard the sharp click OF the
call bell IN the engine and saw the fire.
man push the engineer aside and reverse
the engine. The conductor. who had just
seen her excitedly pulled the bell-rope,
and came toward her. But the reaction
was too much for poor Mike. and she
could only gasp out: Round the curve, v
and then she was white heap with nc
sense OF anything.
| Passengers rushed out, and. after some
had been TO the curve and seen what the
| little girl had saved them from, no lady
in the land could be so Loyalty waited upon
as she was when she had been lifted into
the car. and told modes,ly her story. II
was some little time before the track was
ready for the train to proceed, and when
Nike got out at her own station, many
kind hands pressed hers in farewell, and
the conductor lett something in her hand,
too, Just as the train left. saying: "You
are Inc bravest little woman in the state. y
Not until she had been in the office a
good half hour with her father, who had
q It home from his lawsuit and wondered
what made the train late and where Nix
ey had gone TO, and told him all the story,
d Il Nike think 10 look at the packet.
Then she read note: "Will Miss Mark
ham accept the accompanying from the
r'-nds she so bravely saved August %,
lSS0?'
The note was wrapped around $500 in
bank notes.
"O1. papa, now you can paw off the
mortgage on the house." cried Mike, and
the father said:
II de; are, Nick, you get higher wages
as agent than don'
/ he supeI n,endent of the @ & l.. X all
road Company came down to Petersburg
that week, ard soon after there was a
vacancy in one Of he best offices of the
company in nei2 BORING city and Mr..
Markham was tepdert the situation. He
accepted. 50 NIKE can have he school
ing she wants so much." he said; and to-
day Miss Fun lie NJ rkham is one of the
most promising pupils in the high school
Of thai city. But more than ever is she
the piide of her fathers heart. who never
tires ut telling OF The afternoon Ibis girl
was station agent"
But, after all, you would never take her
tor "A heroine